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…turn out the lights in the Chrysler Buiding spire.

That was my first thought when I read about the acquisition of the great New York skyscaper by an Abu Dhabi-based investment consortium. That lighted spire–the fact that its lovely light-sabres, those illuminated hierogylphics–light up the night from dusk to dawn is one of my most treasured achievements as a writer/columnist. Don’t take it away from me, don’t take it away from the city or its visitors.

Here’s the story: almost ten years ago I moved into an apartment that had a wonderful bedroom window view of the Chysler Buiilding. It’s not the tallest, but to me it’s the most beautiful New York skyscaper, and nothing more beautiful than its graceful spire lit at night with glowing tubes of light. In-spiring!

Up to a point. That point being 2 a.m. when the then-owner of the building ordered that the lights of the spire be shut off every night. It was shocking, dispiriting. it threw cold watr, a bleak shroud of darkness over the most romantic stretch of the night. It robably deepened the dark night of the soul of the depressed and despairing who saw it shut off. It made a mockery of the the line in that annoying but iconic Sinatra song: “I want to wake up in the city that never sleeps”.

Fortunately I had a city-oriented column at the time, in The New York Observer, and I when I learned that the Chrysler tower had a new owner, I initated a crusade to get them to change the stingy, mingy old policy, return tothe way it had been when the building had just been built and keep the lights on all night long. I asked readers to write in. I talked about the way those lights were symbolic of the thrilling comsmopolitanism of the city.

And guess what? It worked! The new owner Tishman-Speyer changed the old policy and kept the lights on all night long sometimes outglowing the dawn when they were swtiched off at 6 a.m.

I’ve always felt this was my most cherished contribution to the city inwhich I was born and lived most of my life. I imagined lovers and drunks out in the hours betwen 2 and 6 a.m., looking up at the spire and thanking me for the glow of romance or consolation.

Will the new owners keep the lights burning? Last time I checked Abu Dhabi was not suffering from an energy shortage, so let’s not hear any energy saving nonsense. Sometimes astonishihg, unique beauty that millions can behold for free is worth the cost. If you don’t believe inthis principle than you should favor turning off reading lights in libraries, you philistines.

I think that before the sale is finalized to the Abu Dhabi owners, the sellers ought to insist, on behalf of the people of New York City, indeed the people of America, that they sign a codicil pledging to maintain that early morning skyine glow that is such an ethereal but essential part of the city’s beauty.

Don’t cross me on this, Abu Dhabi.

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2 Comments

charlie finch:

This time, they’ll send the planes at night.

Jun 13, 2008 - 9:45 am Ian Crerar:

Just got back from NYC. First time visitor, awed by the city. Ron, you are right-on about this building. With its iconic status, most must anticipate a shiver upon the first sighting of the Empire State Building , but Chrysler thrilled me more. I have seen many standard photos of the building but it was the real thing that knocked my socks off. And yes, when I strolled Manhattan that night and saw the lit spire, I felt giddy with delight. Ron, your crusade was trully noble.

Ian

Jun 17, 2008 - 11:48 am

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Ron Rosenbaum

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book cover BUY The Shakespeare Wars
Random House, September 2006


Electrifying. A spectacular book. —Cynthia Ozick


…a thrilling personal confrontation…The Shakespeare Wars comes to us in waves of new revelations —Billy Collins, former U.S. poet laureate


Acclaimed journalist Ron Rosenbaum wrestles with the weightiest issues of Shakespeare studies in a down-to-earth manner that readers will applaud. —Publisher’s Weekly


Cultural journalism of the highest order. —Kirkus Reviews


Timely not least for the economy and clarity with which he outlines the casus belli…with Rosenbaum’s dispatches we now have a better sense of what the fuss is about. —John Sutherland, The Financial Times

book cover BUY Explaining Hitler
A remarkable journey by one of the most original journalists and writers of our time. —David Remnick A work of importance and fascination. —George Steiner, the [U.K.] Observer A provacative work of cultural history that is as compelling as it is thoughtful, as readable as it is smart..Mr. Rosenbaum has made an important contribution to our understanding not just of Hitler, but of the cultural processes by which we try to come to terms with history as well… He has written an exciting, lucid book. —Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times Intriguing, thought provoking and intelligent. —Ian Kershaw in The Guardian [U.k.] Brilliant…restlessly probing and deeply intelligent. —Lance Morrow, Time In Explaining Hitler, profound historical questions spring urgently and hauntingly to life. —Sam Tanenhaus Cultural criticism served up as riveting narrative history —Marc Fisher The Washington Post
book cover BUY The Secret Parts of Fortune
Ron Rosenbaum is one of the great masters of the metaphysical detective story, a nonfiction writer in the spirit of Borges, Nabokov and Poe. —Errol Morris (director of The Fog of War) Few journalists inspire the kind of cult following that Rosenbaum has —Scott McLemee Newsday I plan on hanging Ron Rosenbaum’s ‘marriage proposal’ [column] in a prominent place. Should my husband begin to take me for granted, he will be reminded that I am not without options. —Rosanne Cash You made me look like a f_____g lunatic. —Oliver Stone ALSO AVAILABLE (an anthology of others’ work): Those Who Forget the Past: The Question of Anti-Semitism Bi-weekly Spectator columnist at Slate

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